The girls basketball team has been a force to be reckoned with in recent years. They have won the District Championship and have made an appearance in the Elite 8 three years in a row.
Head Coach Paul Wackerly has built a special program and he loves the thrill of winning.
“Watching the team celebrate another District Championship is something that will never get old,” Wackerly said.
The girls finished the season with a record of 18-5. They were 12-0 in the Federal League making them the 2021 Federal League Champions.
This team dedicated a large percentage of their success to hard work. After losing a big senior class last year, not many people expected them to pick it up right where they left off last season.
“I am very fortunate to have students/athletes that work very hard in the off season and are extremely coachable. The thrill of being to the Final 4 the past two seasons as well as 3-Peat District Champs in the past three seasons inspires these teams to always be willing to improve in order to advance,” Wackerly said. “Their hard work has certainly been worth it.”
During a year of uncertainty, some athletes were just relieved to play at all this season.
“The highlight of the season was just being able to play. In the beginning, nobody expected us to have a full season,” senior Lexi Kleptach said. “I am thankful that I got to play the entirety of my senior season.”
This group of girls got along extremely well. The seniors knew what it felt like to play in big tournament games and when it mattered the most, the team dynamic was great.
“We have done so well over the years because of the chemistry the girls have with each other and the coaches on and off the court,” senior Aniyah Hall said. “It’s almost like a few of us girls share the same mind, we know exactly how the next girl is going to move and we react off that.”
This year there have been a total of six new girls joining the basketball team. With two transfers and four freshmen, the girls embraced the change and used it to their benefit.
“I made tons of new friends throughout the year with the amount of transfers we had and incoming freshmen joining this year,” senior Meya Metz said. “Getting to experience our run through the tournament with everyone was a great feeling that I’ll never forget.”
There are five graduating seniors on the team. This is a big hit considering three of those seniors were in the starting lineup. The seniors on the team have had a great season and a wonderful highschool experience in the girls basketball program.
“As a senior it was a bittersweet ending to the season. My teammates are some of my best friends and I’m grateful to have played with them for so many years,” Metz said.
All in all, the girls basketball season was a success. Three District Championships in a row is a phenomenal accomplishment. The girls exited earlier than they would have liked to Hoban in the Elite 8. Hoban went on to lose in the Final Four.
